grades 3-5 cover - where tomorrow begins 3-5. strategies that work stephanie harvey ... teachers...

NON-FICTIONREADING STRATEGIES

IN A NUTSHELL

Grades 3-5

Strategies that WorkStephanie Harvey

Chapter 9 “Determining Importance in Text: The Nonfiction Connection”

“Throughout Stephanie’s education, teachers had instructed her to highlight theimportant parts. But no one had shown her how. She assumed that if the writers ofthese massive textbooks had written it down, it must be important. So she highlightedjust about every letter of print. Highlighting is easy; determining what to highlight is thechallenge (page 117).”

Stephanie Harvey writes, “Determining Importance means picking out the mostimportant information when you read, to highlight essential ideas, to isolate supportingdetails, and to read for specific information. Teachers need to help readers sift and sortinformation, and make decisions about what information they need to remember andwhat information they can disregard (page 117).”

“Readers of nonfiction have to decide and remember what is important in the texts theyread if they are going to learn anything from them (page 118).”

Debbie Miller says, “We must teach our students what nonfiction is. Teaching ourstudents that expository text has predictable characteristics and features they can counton before they read, allows them to construct meaning more easily as they read.”

Nonfiction books are organized around specific topics and main ideas.

Nonfiction books give you information that is true.

Nonfiction books try to teach you something.

When readers read nonfiction books, they make predictions about thekinds of things they expect to learn. They activate their schema and thetopic and what they know about the type of text they are about to read.

Nonfiction books have features.

“Catching Kids Up” www.LearningFocused.com ©Learning-Focused

Catching Kids Up

Classroom teacher’s plan:

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Introduce newvocabulary

Whole group/read story

Phonic focusthen partners re-read story

Intro.,comprehensionskill/apply to story

Test onvocabulary andcomprehension

Reading Specialist: Begins the week before reading lesson

Thursday Friday Monday Tuesday Wednesday

Introduce nextweek’s vocabulary

Preview storymap/parts filledin/predict

Preview phonicskill and spellingstrategies

Previewcomprehensionstrategy/apply

Creative writingrelated to storyelements

Prior knowledge is the best predictor of whether comprehension will occur.

Translating Information into a Condensed Form: Simply Summarizing

by Cindy Riedl

1

Rationale for summarizing: There are two fundamentals of summarizing: 1) filling in missing parts and 2)translating the important information into a condensed form. Summarizing has a strong research basethat shows up to a 47 percentile gain in learning and retaining information. Summarizing includesextracting themes, major ideas or concepts from a topic, which is a skill that is often assessed onstandardized achievement tests. The emphasis is on an economy of words. Because a summary is brief,word choice is critical. The ability to select the words that best represent a concept is a reflection of astudent's level of understanding of the topic (and their vocabulary), and is, therefore a method by whichteachers can continuously assess student knowledge before instruction and throughout a unit of study.

During Lesson: Distributed Practice and Summarizing

Activating Strategy Reflection: Revisit the organizer/activity used for the activating strategy (such as ananticipatory guide) once or twice during the lesson, so that students can examine their predictions andprevious knowledge to determine their validity. Have them write their conclusions and explain theirrationale.

Stem Sentences: Provided with a beginning stem, students complete the sentence. Sentence Stemexamples: (1) I have just learned . . . (2) If this happened, then I think . . . (3) This idea makes me feel . . .(4) I wonder ... (5) A good question I would ask is ... (6) Some details seem to dig deeper into the mainidea, such as . . .

Summary Point Writing: Pause during the lesson, and ask students to write about important informationlearned.(Summarize information up to this point.) Individual students or collaborative pairs can recordsummary answers. Writing prompts should be identified in advance of instruction.

Think/Ink/Share: Ask students to think about a key point or idea, write about it and then share with theirpartner.

Q and A: Ask a question, and have students write a sentence that answers the question usinginformation just learned. Prepare the question prompts before the lesson.

Structured Note-taking: Provide a structure, such as two-column notes, for summarizing, paraphrasingand/or questioning.

Brainstorm Writing: Small groups of students (3-4) rotate papers with different topics at the top of each(key concepts taught). Circulate papers clockwise repetitively. As a student gets a new paper, he or sheshould read what others have written and add to an idea.

Paragraph Frames: Great scaffolding tool for creating accurate responses immediately - To modelwriting expectations create a model sentence or paragraph, and then create blank lines for students tosupply the information.

Cube It: Pairs have a cube with one of the following written on each side: Ask a question. Make aprediction. Create a summary statement. Clarify or explain a key point. Connect to something you know.Provide an example of the key point or message. Each pair rolls the cube and writes down the answer tothe directive. (Modification: Use dice, and have each of the above expectations displayed with a numberthat corresponds to the number rolled.)

Word Wall/Student Learning Map: Pairs write 2-3 sentences using the words from the lesson (so far) tosummarize key points.


by Cindy Riedl

2

Quick Talk: Create 2 lists of old and new vocabulary words. Create student partners. Partner B looks atthe words and describes them, while partner A has his/her back turned away from the words and makesguesses using the clues their partner gives them. Partners switch roles for the second list.

Kinesthetic Summarizers

Inside Outside Circle: Cooperative learning structure which lends itself to reviewing factual material andrecall or comprehension questions - Each student has at least one prepared question and answer aboutthe content that has been presented. Questions are written on index cards with answers on the reverseside. Students form inner and outer circles, facing each other in pairs. Pairs take turns asking theirquestions of one another and helping each other, if necessary, in answering the questions. Oncecompleted, one of the circles is told to move three people to the right, and the new pairs exchangequestions. (Modification: teacher made cards.)

Secret Envelopes: Before instructions provide each student with an envelope containing a question oran answer to a question. Allow students to secretly examine the contents of their envelope. At the end ofthe lesson, ask students to find the question answered by their statement or the statement answeringtheir question. With their matched partner students must justify to the class why the statement answersthe question correctly.

Draw a Picture or Diagram: Use with topics which lend themselves to visual representations of whatstudents know or how they conceptualize a topic or literary element - Give individual students, pairs orgroups paper to draw or diagram the outline and the details. If used as a pairs activity, have individualsdraw and then explain their drawing with a partner.

Carousel Brainstorming: Works well with a topic that can be divided into subtopics or into a series ofquestions about the topic - Post large sheets of newsprint (each containing a different subtopic orquestion) about the room. In small groups (each group designated by a different colored marker) havestudents rotate clockwise from chart to chart, pausing for a few minutes to brainstorm what they know andcan remember about the subtopic or create a question. Groups end up where they started and then doanother circuit to review the ideas listed. For primary grades, charts can be on the floor. Studentsbrainstorm first and then draw a picture of an idea on the chart.

Relay Summary: Used when teams of students summarize an assigned reading - Students are dividedinto teams of four or five. The first student in each team starts with a blank piece of paper and writes onesummary sentence, then passes it to the next teammate. The student adds a sentence, passes it on, etc.until the whole team has added or until the number of required sentences is on the paper.

Examples:

- The 1950's were a very interesting period of time in our history. Show why, as you build your summary.- Charlotte was an amazing spider. Prove it, as you build your summary.- One thing I know about ways numbers can be written is ...

During and After Summarizing

Learning Logs: Learning log summaries enable students to activate their understanding of a topic orconcept, identify point of confusion, evaluate their work, and become aware of their own learning style.Students write in their Learning Logs during the last five minutes of each period, responding to writingprompts or questions. They may also free write about key words related to a topic, explain how theyperformed an operation, state the most important points discussed in class, or describe a place wherethey became confused. Learning Logs become a source of data for teachers!


by Cindy Riedl

3

Primary Examples:

· Write a secret about your day today.· Talk to your textbook, ruler, or computer. Tell it how you feel about it.· Tell your log what was easiest for you today ... hardest.

Elementary Examples:

· Write dialogues about a crucial point in a day's lesson: Converse with a molecule about its properties,etc.· What words in science caught your attention? (Explore their feelings about their learning.)· Respond to this question: What helped me learn in class today?

10 - 2: Allows students time to process information and concepts during large group instruction. After tenminutes of instruction, pause for two minutes. Students summarize with a partner: Think-Pair-Share orThink-Ink-Share.

3 - 2 - 1:

Examples:

Studying about a famous person or writing about a character:

3 Most important events in this person or character's life2 Questions you would ask if you could talk with him/her

1 Significant contribution or act he/she made

Demonstrate understanding of a new vocabulary word:

3 sentences using the word in context2 synonyms for this word

1 sketch/picture you can use to remember its meaning

Simply Summarizing!There is no argument concerning the value of having students summarize what they are learning. Theissue often lies in scheduling the time for it during the lesson as distributed summarizing and at the end ofthe lesson. It takes practice and pacing. Many teachers set a timer until pacing becomes a natural event.With all the interruptions that can occur during a lesson, it is no wonder that it is difficult to follow throughwith good intentions. When summarizing is disrupted, turn what you were planning to do into an activatorfor the next lesson into a review. Don't give up! Summarizing is a powerful tool in raising studentachievement!

A Six-Step Process for Teaching New Terms

Part One:

Introduce new term and develop initial understanding

Step 1: Provide a description, explanation, or example

Step 2: Ask student to restate term in own words

Step 3: Ask student to construct a picture, symbol or graphic for term

Part Two:

Provide multiple experiences that have students shape and sharpenpersonal understanding

Step 4: Engage periodically in activities adding to their knowledge

Step 5: Periodically have students discuss terms with each other

Step 6: Use terms in games to allow students to play with terms

Compare and Contrast

HoweverLike

UnlikeLikewise

Both As well asOn the other handNot only…but alsoEither…or while

AlthoughUnless

SimilarlyYet

NeverthelessIn Contrast

TooAs opposed to

Cause and Effect

BecauseSince

ThereforeConsequently

As a resultThis led to So that

NeverthelessAccordingly

If…ThenThus

One reason forThat

For this reasonThen, soDue to

Description

Sensory Details:What we see,

hear,taste,smell,

and feel

FirstSecondThirdBefore

On(date)Not long after

After thatNext

At the same timeFinallyThen

FollowingAfterward

DuringPreceding

MeanwhileUntil

Meanwhile

One reasonfor that

A solutionA problemPuzzle is

Have solvedthis problem

by,

HowWhenWhatWhereWhyWho

How ManyThe best esti-

mateIt could be

thatOne may con-

clude

ListProblem and Solutions Question and Answer

To begin withFirst

SecondNextThen

FinallyLast

Most impor-tantAlso

In factFor instanceFor example

WithIn frontBesideNear

In AdditionSpecifically

Such AsTo illustrate

Sequence

Question Answer

Compare and

Contrast

To compare two or more things, see how they arealike. To contrast two or more things, see how theyare different.

However

Like

Unlike

Likewise

Both As well as

On the other hand

Not only…but also

Either…or while

Although

Unless

Similarly

Yet

Nevertheless

In Contrast

Too

As opposed to

Whereas

Graphic Organizers—Double Bubble - Venn Diagram

Cause and Effect

When one thing causes another thing to happen, it is calledcause and effect. The cause is the reason why somethinghappens, and the effect is what happens.

Because

Since

Therefore

Consequently

As a result

This led to So that

Nevertheless

Accordingly

If…Then

Thus

One reason for

That

For this reason

Then, so

Due to

Cause

Effect

Graphic Organizer—Multi Flow

Royse/Zinn 2009

Description

All the facts and details make up the description part ofnonfiction writing and reading. There aren't any specifictext clues/signal words. Strong description depends on sen-sory details.

Sensory Details:

What we see,

hear,

taste,

smell,

and feel

Graphic Organizer—Bubble Map

Royse/Zinn 2009

Sequence or

Time Order

All the facts and details make up the description part of non-fiction writing and reading. There aren't any specific textclues/signal words. Strong description depends on sensory de-tails.

First

Second

Third

Before

On(date)

Not long after

After that

Next

At the same time

Finally

Then

Following

Afterward

During

Preceding

Meanwhile

Until

Graphic Organizer—Flow Map

Royse/Zinn 2009

Problem and

Solution

The author's purpose is towrite about a problem anda solution.

Graphic Organizer

One reason for that

A solution

A problem

Puzzle is

Have solved thisproblem by,

Problem

Attempt to Solve the problem

Solution

List

A series of names or other items written or printedtogether in a meaningful grouping or sequence so as toconstitute a record: a list of members.

To begin withFirst

SecondNextThenFinallyLast

Most importantAlso

In factFor instanceFor example

WithIn frontBesideNear

In AdditionSpecificallySuch As

Graphic Organizer—Circle Map—Brainstorming

Zinn/Royse—2009

Question and

Answer

The author asks a question and then gives an answer.

How

When

What

Where

Why

Who

How Many

The best esti-mate

It could be that

One may conclude

I wonder about… (T Chart)

Question Answer

Zinn/Royse 2009

Non-Fiction in a Nutshell

Royse©2008

K 1 2 3 4 5

Text Features

“Text featuresmake the text

more accessibleto the reader and

often provideadditional

information tohelp students

comprehend thecontent.”

Text features inbold should betaught at thatgrade level asnew learning.

Features arenot limited to

your gradelevel.

Parts of a book:TitleTable of contents

Pictures

Parts of a book:TitleTable of contentsChapters

PicturesBold printListsMaps

Parts of a book:TitleTable of contentsChapterGlossaryIndex

Bold printListsMaps + keysPicturesCaptionsChartsDiagramsGraphsHeadingsItalicsPhotographsPrint - Color, Size

and ShapeTablesTimelines


Bold printCaptionsChartsDiagramsGraphsHeadingsItalicsListsMaps + keysPhotographsPicturesPrintTablesTimelinesBulletsCross-SectionsFramed TextGraphic OrganizersLinksParenthesesSignal WordsSub - HeadingsWord bubbles


Bold printBulletsCaptionsChartsCross-SectionsDiagramsFramed TextGraphic OrganizersGraphsHeadingsItalicsLinksListsMaps + keys + insetParenthesesPhotographsPicturesPrintSignal WordsSub-HeadingsTablesTimelinesWord Bubbles


Bold printBulletsCaptionsChartsCross-SectionsDiagramsFramed TextGraphic OrganizersGraphsHeadingsItalicsLinksListsMaps + keys + insetParenthesesPhotographsPicturesPrintSignal WordsSub-HeadingsTablesTimelinesWord BubblesSidebars

TextStructure

“The way theauthor

organizes thetext in order tocommunicate

Compare & ContrastSequence

Compare & ContrastSequenceProblem/SolutionQuestion/Answer

Compare & ContrastSequenceProblem/SolutionQuestion/AnswerDescription

Compare & ContrastSequenceProblem/SolutionQuestion/AnswerDescriptionCause and EffectFact and Opinion




Royse©2008

K 1 2 3 4 5the content.”

Strategies

More strategiesin Goal 3.

Strategies arenot limited to

your gradelevel.

Author’s PurposeMaking ConnectionsPredictingPreviewingQuestioningRetellingSequencing Events

Author’s PurposeMaking ConnectionsPredictingPreviewingQuestioningRetellingSequencing Events

GAT-PMain Idea/DetailsSummarizing

Author’s PurposeGAT-PMain Idea/DetailsMaking ConnectionsPredictingPreviewingQuestioningRetellingSequencing EventsSummarizing

DrawingConclusionsFact and OpinionMaking inferences

Author’s PurposeDrawing ConclusionsFact and OpinionGAT-PMain Idea/DetailsMaking ConnectionsMaking InferencesPredictingPreviewingQuestioningRetellingSequencing EventsSummarizing

Cause and Effect

Author’s PurposeCause and EffectDrawing ConclusionsFact and OpinionGAT-PMain Idea/DetailsMaking ConnectionsMaking InferencesPredictingPreviewingQuestioningRetellingSequencing EventsSummarizing

Personification

Author’s PurposeCause and EffectDrawingConclusionsFact and OpinionGAT-PMain Idea/DetailsMaking ConnectionsMaking InferencesPersonificationPredictingPreviewingQuestioningRetellingSequencing EventsSummarizing

Non-FictionGenres

Short InformationalTexts

NewspapersTelephone BooksSigns/labels

NewspapersTelephone BooksSigns/labels

ArticlesBiographiesChartsLettersProcedures/instructions

AutobiographiesDiariesInformation BooksJournals

MagazinesNewspapersSchedulesTrue Experiences

WritingProducts

(See Goal 4 forspecific

strategies)

Caption Books Journal entriesLetters

Journal EntriesLettersPersonalNarratives

DirectionsInstructionsLearning LogsShort ReportsSimple Narratives

Diaries/Logs/JournalsInstructionsLettersPersonal NarrativesResearch ReportsRules

ArticlesEssaysLettersNewsResearch Reports


Royse©2008

K 1 2 3 4 5

ScottForesmanResources

All skillscorrelated to

target skills andstrategies inGuide on the

Side,Instructional

Routines,utilizing all Scott

Foresmanresources.

Guide on the Side:

Compare andContrast(48 - 49)Cause and Effect(44 – 45)Drawing Conclusions(50 - 51)Main Idea & Details(52 – 53)Sequence(58 – 59)Predict(66 – 67)Classify / Categorize(42 – 43)Recall / Retell(68 -69)Skills Across theGrades(62- 65)

Guide on the Side:

Author’s Purpose(54 – 55)Cause and Effect(56 – 57)Compare andContrast(60 - 61)DrawingConclusions(62 - 63)Main Idea & Details(64 – 65)Sequence(70 – 71)AnsweringQuestions(82 -83)Asking Questions(84 – 85)Graphic Organizers(86 – 87)Monitor and Fix Up(88 – 89)Predict / Confirm(90 – 91)Preview(92 – 93)Prior Knowledge(94 – 95)

Summarize(96 – 97)Text Structure(98 – 99)Visualize(100 – 101)Skills Across theGrades(76- 79)

Guide on the Side:

Author’s Purpose(54 – 55)Cause and Effect(56 – 57)Compare andContrast(60 - 61)DrawingConclusions(62 - 63)Fact and Opinion(64 - 65)Main Idea & Details(66 – 67)Sequence(72 – 73)AnsweringQuestions(84 -85)Asking Questions(86 – 87)Graphic Organizers(88 – 89)Monitor and Fix Up(90 – 91)Predict / Confirm(92 – 93)Preview(94 – 95)Prior Knowledge(96 – 97)

Summarize(98 – 99)Text Structure(100 –101)Visualize(102 – 103)

Guide on the Side:

Author’s Purpose(34 – 35)Cause and Effect(36 – 37)Compare and Contrast(38 - 39)Drawing Conclusions(30 - 41)Fact and Opinion(42 - 43)Generalize(44 - 45)Main Idea & Details(48 – 49)Sequence(52 – 53)Answering Questions(60 -61)Asking Questions(62 – 63)Graphic Organizers(64 – 65)Monitor and Fix Up(66 – 67)Predict / Confirm(68 – 69)Preview(70 – 71)Prior Knowledge(72 – 73)Summarize(74 – 75)Text Structure(76 – 77)Visualize(78 – 79)

Skills Across the Grades

Guide on the Side:

Author’s Purpose(26 – 27)Cause and Effect(28 – 29)Compare andContrast(30 - 31)Drawing Conclusions(32 - 33)Fact and Opinion(34 - 35)Generalize(36 - 37)Main Idea & Details(42 – 43)Sequence(44 – 45)Answering Questions(52 -53)Asking Questions(54 – 55)Graphic Organizers(56 – 57)Monitor and Fix Up(58 – 59)Predict / Confirm(60 – 61)Preview(62 – 63)Prior Knowledge(64 – 65)Summarize(66 – 67)Text Structure(68 – 69)Visualize(70 – 71)

Guide on the Side:

Author’s Purpose(26 – 27)Cause and Effect(28 – 29)Compare andContrast(30 - 31)DrawingConclusions(32 - 33)Fact and Opinion(34 - 35)Generalize(36 - 37)Main Idea & Details(42 – 43)Sequence(44 – 45)AnsweringQuestions(52 - 53)Asking Questions(54 – 55)Graphic Organizers(56 – 57)Monitor and Fix Up(58 – 59)Predict / Confirm(60 – 61)Preview(62 – 63)Prior Knowledge(64 – 65)Summarize(66 – 67)Text Structure(68 – 69)Visualize


Royse©2008

K 1 2 3 4 5

*ClassroomQuestioning(80)

Skills Across theGrades(78- 82)

*ClassroomQuestioning(83)

(54- 57)

*Classroom Questioning(58 – 59)


*ClassroomQuestioning(50 – 51)

(70 – 71)


*ClassroomQuestioning(50 – 51)

ThinkingSkills

See LEAPlanningGuide for

Stemsand Guide on

theSide

“ClassroomQuestioning.”

Classifying/Categorizing(sorting, ordering)Comparing/Contrasting

(alike, different)

ConstructingSupport(support for anopinion)Abstracting

(elaborating,patterns,

associating)

InductiveReasoning(main idea,conclusions,summarize)

Error Analysis(fact/opinion,assumptions)

Deductive Reasoning(predicting, cause/effect,categorical)Analyzing Perspectives

(personal viewpoints)

Refine and Extend theThinking Skills from K-

3

Refine and Extendthe Thinking Skills

from K-3

Soc. StudiesResources

(See attached and inT-Drive under Social

Studies/ReadingIntegration)



(See attached andin T-Drive underSocial Studies/

Reading Integration)

(See attached and in T-Drive under SocialStudies/Reading

Integration)





Vocab./Summarizers/DistributedGuidedPractice

Non-Fiction in aNutshell Foldable

Non-Fiction in aNutshell AccordionBook

Non-Fiction in aNutshell Flap Book

Non-Fiction in a NutshellBook

Non-Fiction in aNutshell “Go Nuts”

Non-Fiction in aNutshell

http://www.scholastic.com

From Teaching Students to Read Nonfiction

Prereading Organizer

Search and Find

How many examples of these text features can you find in your text? Keep a tallyeach time you find one. Write the page number beside the first example you find.After that, only one tally each time you see another example.

Team Members:

Title

Sub Titles

Information in boxes

Label pictures or diagrams

Cut-away diagram

Photographs

Captions

Table or Chart

Bold Print

Flow Chart

Maps

Graphs

Table of Content

Index

Royse.2009

Read with your partner to identify thenonfiction text features the authorchooses to use and predict why.

Text Feature PurposeWhat? Why ?

Conventions of Nonfiction BooksBrowse through your book. See if you can find the following:

Illustrations with captions extending information by providing avisual

Maps, charts and diagrams providing visuals

Boldface type calling your attention to what is important

A bibliography for further reading sending you to other places to findyour information

A list of Web sites sending you to information online

Author/illustrator information

Timelines

Arrangement and sequence of print and illustrations (how they areplaced on a page)

Location of page numbers on the page

Nonfiction Text

ByDaneen Dearn

[email protected]&

Linda [email protected]

Information & materials copied and borrowed from:

Boynton, Alice. Teaching Students to Read Nonfiction. Scholastic: NewYork. 2003.Dyck, Norm. Reading Comprehension Lessons: Using Text Structures toImprove Expository Text Comprehension. Curriculum Solutions:Lawrence, KS 2000.Harvey, Stephanie. Nonfiction Matters. Stenhouse: Maine. 1998.Harvey, Stephanie. Strategies That Work. Stenhouse: Main. 2000.Hoyt, Linda. Snapshots. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. 2000.Keene, Ellin and Susan Zimmermann. Mosaic of Thought. Heinemann:NH. 1977.Literacy Academy. USD 475.

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Search and Find

How many examples of these text features can you find in your text? Keep a tallyeach time you find one. Write the page number beside the first example you find.After that, only one tally each time you see another example.

Team Members:

Title

Sub Titles

Information in boxes

Label pictures or diagrams

Cut-away diagram

Photographs

Captions

Table or Chart

Bold Print

Flow Chart

Maps

Graphs

Table of Content

Index

Vocabulary Strategy – Connect Two

*WHO Students of all ages and reading abilities may benefit from this lesson.*WHY This lessons exposes students to new vocabulary words or phrases before

reading a selection. Students aren’t given definitions, but are encouragedto use their prior knowledge in order to predict which words could beconnected and to give reasons for their predictions. This helps to set apurpose for reading because it arouses student curiosity and at the sametime, it stimulates any background knowledge they may have.

*WHAT You will need to choose vocabulary words from a selection, a chapter, aunit, etc. The text may be narrative or expository. The number of wordsis up to a teacher’s discretion.

*HOW List the words on chart paper. Ask students if they can predict which ofthese terms might be connected to each other to tell why. Accept allresponses, reminding students that these are merely predictions. Wordsmight be used more than once. Keep the chart up and public and in use sothat the children can adjust their thinking on the chart. If an additionalconnection is found during the reading of the text, it can be added to thechart.

Writing in Response to ReadingHave the students write their initial responses in a journal or literature log usingthe same format:

Have the student share their ideas with a partner, small group or whole group.

After readingAn important point to discuss when debriefing this strategy is how the initialvocabulary words were selected. Sharing the thinking behind how a teacherdetermines challenging vocabulary that is vital to comprehending a text helps toelevate this strategy to a level of independent use for students.

www.u46teachers.org/mosaic/tools/tools.htm

I would connect ___________ and________________because ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

ProcedureThis procedure is based on short non-fiction text. The Life of the Butterfly.

Teacher Action Pupil Action

Teacher displays and reads the title of thebook, asking questions such as: What kind ofbook or article would have a title like this?What information would you expect to find init?

Children cue into the form of the text (e.g.,report, description, instructions, orprocedure). They listen to one another andalso ask questions or make comments.

Teacher displays the key words as a list andreads through them, not giving any meanings atthis stage.

Children follow the listed words as theteacher reads.

A teacher says, “These are key words takenfrom The Life of the Butterfly. Use them towrite sentences that provide information youmight find in the book. You must use all the keywords.” Teacher points out that more than onekey word may be used in a single sentence andthat the sentences need not be connected.

Children write their possible sentences.They predict possible meanings of anywords they do not know and include thosewords in their sentences.

Key words: eggs caterpillar

butterfly feelers proboscis

Pupa hatch

Teacher asks volunteers to read their possiblesentences to the class.

Children receive the volunteers’ sentencesuncritically.

Teacher distributes a copy of the book to eachchild.

Children read text silently or watch andlisten as teacher reads it aloud, accordingto the match between the text and thechildren’s reading ability.

Teacher asks children to work in pairs & to:(a) Read their sentence to each other; and(b) Find sentences that are confirmed by the

text.

Children read the text, then confirm,modify or reject their sentence. Theydiscuss any additional information.

Teacher asks pairs to volunteer to share. Children explain why sentences wereconfirmed, rejected, or modified.

Teacher leads general group discussions.

www.u46teachers.org/mosaic/tools/tools.htm

5 Expository Text StructuresText Type Tells . . . Clue Words Graphic Organizer

Descriptive

. . . aboutsomething

About, is a, has a,does, for example,characteristicsare

Web

Sequence

. . . series or steps;items or events innumerical orchronologicalorder

First, second,third, next, then,finally

1.________________

2.________________

3.________________

4.________________

Problem/solution

. . . problem,attemptedsolutions, results;question andanswer format

Problem is,solution is, havesolved thisproblem by,puzzle is

Problem

Attempt

Solution

Compare/contrast

. . . similarities anddifferencesbetween 2 or morethings

Different from,same as, alike,similar to,resemble, on theother hand

Venn diagram (2)

Matrix (More than 2)dog cat bird

Cover fur fur feather# legs 4 4 2Sound bark meow chirp

Cause and effect

. . . reasons whysomethinghappens or exists

So that, becauseof, as a result of,since, so in orderto, reasons why, if. . . then, as aresult, therefore,because

Cause/Effect Mapfinal result

because

preliminary resultbecause because because

Determining Importance in Nonfiction

Anchor Chart of Tips for Reading NonfictionBy Stephanie Harvey

Think of facts, questions and responses. Write these down as you read.

Reading nonfiction takes time. You may have to reread to make sure you understand.

Reread so you don’t forget what you are reading.

Reading fiction is like watching a movie. Nonfiction is more like a newscast orwatching a slide show.

Stop often and ask yourself if what you are reading makes sense.

Important to abbreviate when you take notes.

Think before you write.

Nonfiction reading is reading to learn something.

Reading with MeaningDebbie Miller

Determining Importance at a Glance

What’s Key for Kids

Readers distinguish the difference between fiction and nonfiction.

Readers distinguish important from unimportant information in order to identify keyideas or themes as they read.

Readers use their knowledge of narrative and expository text features to makepredictions about text organization and content.

Readers utilize text features to help them distinguish important from unimportantinformation.

Readers use their knowledge of important and relevant parts of text to answerquestions and synthesize text for themselves and others.

Strategies that WorkStephanie Harvey

Chapter 9 “Determining Importance in Text: The Nonfiction Connection”

“Throughout Stephanie’s education, teachers had instructed her to highlight theimportant parts. But no one had shown her how. She assumed that if the writers ofthese massive textbooks had written it down, it must be important. So she highlightedjust about every letter of print. Highlighting is easy; determining what to highlight is thechallenge (page 117).”

Stephanie Harvey writes, “Determining Importance means picking out the mostimportant information when you read, to highlight essential ideas, to isolate supportingdetails, and to read for specific information. Teachers need to help readers sift and sortinformation, and make decisions about what information they need to remember andwhat information they can disregard (page 117).”

“Readers of nonfiction have to decide and remember what is important in the texts theyread if they are going to learn anything from them (page 118).”

Debbie Miller says, “We must teach our students what nonfiction is. Teaching ourstudents that expository text has predictable characteristics and features they can counton before they read, allows them to construct meaning more easily as they read.”

Nonfiction books are organized around specific topics and main ideas.

Nonfiction books give you information that is true.

Nonfiction books try to teach you something.

When readers read nonfiction books, they make predictions about thekinds of things they expect to learn. They activate their schema and thetopic and what they know about the type of text they are about to read.

Nonfiction books have features.

FQR ChartFacts-Question-Response Chart

The strategy emphasis supports students to ask questions, determine importance in thetext, and respond, voicing their own opinions and thoughts. Eventually the children willbe able to use this response method independently to read for information in text theyhave chosen at their own reading level. The children record factual information, askquestions, and respond to merge their thinking with the content.

When students have the opportunity to share and explain their own thinking about text,they learn and remember important information.

Example: “The Comeback of Humpbacks” National Geographic for Kids (Sept. 2000)

Facts Question Response

Leaping out of the water iscalled breaching.

Is all jumping calledbreaching?

30x more than in 1965. WOW! That is a lot. That was a goodcomeback.

Humpbacks were almostgone until a law was createdto protect humpbacks.

I don’t like the hunters using only onepart of the whale. Reminds me of thewhite men wasting the buffalo.

Facts Questions Responses

Reading with Meaning, pages 149-150

Identify what the conventions of nonfiction text are and how they help us as readers.Debbie Miller suggests spending one day on each convention. The teacher should bringin examples of at least five places in nonfiction texts that support that convention. Thenthe children look for the convention and share them with a partner, small group, wholegroup. It is not enough to identify the convention and purpose, we must also identifyhow they help us as readers.

Conventions Purpose How they help us as readers

Labels Help the reader identify a picture orphotograph and/or its parts.

Photographs Help the reader understand exactlywhat something looks like.

Captions Help the reader better understand apicture or photograph.

ComparisonsHelp the reader understand the sizeof one thing by comparing it to thesize of something familiar.

CutawaysHelp the reader understandsomething by looking at it from theinside.

Maps Help the reader understand wherethings are in the world.

Types of print Help the reader by signaling, “Look atme! I’m important!”

Close-Ups Help the reader see details insomething small.

Table of ContentsHelp the reader identify key topics inthe book in the order they arepresented.

IndexAn alphabetical list of almosteverything covered in the text, withpage numbers.

Glossary Helps the reader define wordscontained in the text.

List of mini lessons for nonfiction texts:

ScanningSkimmingAccessing the text through the indexUsing headings and signposts to the information we wantStrolling through the pictures in order to orient ourselves to the textNot reading the text in orderAccessing the text through the table of contentsReading the picture captionsActivating prior knowledge or schemaNoting characteristics of text length and structureNoting what type of organizational pattern the text is usingDetermining what to read in what orderDetermining what to pay careful attention toDetermining what to ignoreDeciding to quit because the text contains no relevant informationDeciding if text is worth careful reading or just skimmingPay attention to surprising information. It might mean you are learning something

new.

Guided Reading the Four Bocks Way, pages 58-62

“What’s for Reading?”

“You want the children in your classroom to know that they will read something everyday during Guided Reading, and as Guided Reading time approaches, you want themto begin asking themselves: “What’s for reading?” Then you want them to know theycan take a quick peek at the text and see the kinds of reading they can anticipate.“What’s for reading?” is a previewing technique where the children decide what kind oftext they are going to read and what special features that text has.”

Reading with Meaning, page 146

Have the students look at nonfiction and fiction texts and determine what are thecharacteristics of both types of text.

Make a Venn Diagram reflecting what they learned.

Fiction Both Nonfiction

Beginning middle endSettingCharactersProblemEventsResolution

Stories

Themes

Pictures

Read from front to back

Title

Illustrations

They help you learn

They are fun to read

Words

Bold printIndex

Table of Contents

Photographs

CaptionsHeadingsCutaways

InformationIdeas

Amazing factsRead in any order

Reading with MeaningDebbie MillerPages 150-151

Wonder Boxes

Throughout the study of questioning and nonfiction, ask the children to place a wondercard or two in a basket. Two or three days a week, draw one out and search for theanswer. Another option is to generate wonder questions and have the students chooseone, then do research for the answer.

Debbie Miller shows them how to think aloud about certain questions:

What do I already know about the topic?What type of book or other source will help me best?Where will I find the information?How is the information organized in the source? How will I go about locating what I

need?

Wonder Question

What I learned . . .

Source:

After looking through the source of information, ask yourself, “What did I learn? Howcan I synthesize my learning for myself and others?”

Strategies that Work, pages 134-137

Sifting the Topic from the Details

Topic and details form is effective in allowing for the students to list essentialinformation, but lacked a place for their responses. The third column for responseallows kids to interact with text personally and ensures that they have a place to recordtheir thoughts, feelings, and questions.

Three Column Notes

Topic Detail Personal Response

Connections

Text to Text /Text to Self /Text to World

Connections

Text to Text /Text to Self /

Text to World

Connections


Text to World

Connections


Text to World

Connections


Text to World

Purpose

The author wrote thisstory to….

Purpose


Purpose


Purpose


Purpose


InferencesConclusions

I wonder…I figured out…

I predict



I predict



I predict



I predict



I predict

Vocabulary

The new words I learnedare…

Vocabulary


Vocabulary


Vocabulary


Vocabulary


Sequence ofInformation





Main Idea

The main thing the authoris telling me is….

Main Idea


Main Idea


Main Idea


Main Idea


Topic

This is a book about…

Topic


Topic


Topic


Topic


Non-Fiction

Walk

Non-Fiction

Walk

Non-Fiction

Walk

Non-Fiction

Walk

Non-Fiction

Walk

Nonfiction Finger Walk: Intermediate Adapted by Jo Royse© 2008

Connections

This story reminds meof…

Connections


Connections


Connections


Connections


Purpose


Purpose


Purpose


Purpose


Purpose


Vocabulary


Vocabulary


Vocabulary


Vocabulary


Vocabulary


Detail 3

I also learned …

Detail 3

I also learned …

Detail 3

I also learned …

Detail 3

I also learned …

Detail 3

I also learned …

Detail 2

Another fact I learnedwas…

Detail 2


Detail 2


Detail 2


Detail 2


Detail 1

One fact I learned was…

Detail 1


Detail 1


Detail 1


Detail 1


Main Idea

The main thing the authoris telling me is…

Main Idea


Main Idea


Main Idea


Main Idea


Topic


Topic


Topic


Topic


Topic


Non-Fiction

Walk

Non-Fiction

Walk

Non-Fiction

Walk

Non-Fiction

Walk

Non-Fiction

Walk

Nonfiction Finger Walk: Primary (Royse© 2008)

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